In Rochester - NOT amateur radio

This was our morning in Rochester with our son.

The Es season

 Whilst it lasts, the Es season is fun. In the northern hemisphere this usually peaks in May, June and July. After a while people get used to the openings around Europe and look further afield. Openings to North America seem to occur quite often. Some of these openings are multi hop Es although I believe some are some kind of E layer chordal hop. 

Floods - NOT amateur radio

 After several weeks of hot and dry weather we have had floods. This was where my son teaches in Kent yesterday.

Sunspots - Monday July 22nd

 Solar flux is 143 and the SSN 130. A=4 and K=2.

Is the UK complicit? - NOT amateur radio

This is aimed at people in the UK.

Let me start by saying many of my best friends are Jewish and I believe all humans are of equal value whatever their colour, beliefs etc..

Allegedly the UK is still supplying some arms to Israel and training IDF soldiers on UK soil. 

Until there is a fair and just peace between Israel and Gaza we should have no dealings with the Israeli state. 

Write to your MP. 

I am ashamed to be complicit.

Arsenal stadium - NOT amateur radio

 

On the train to London we go next to the Emirates stadium.

Sunspots - Monday July 21st

 Solar flux is 150 and the SSN 139. A=5 and K=2.

Swift (bird) numbers - NOT amateur radio

This is a quote from the RSPB page about swifts.

'Sadly, Swift numbers are plummeting, and they’re now on the UK’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. For every ten Swifts zooming across our skies in 1995, there were only about three by 2022.'

On our local Facebook page I asked if people locally thought numbers were up or down on last year. Surprisingly, most thought numbers were up, not down. This may be very local or a UK trend. I am interested in the national trend.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift .

10m 500mW WSPR (Sunday)

My QRP 10m WSPR has been on this morning.

UPDATE 1836z: Spotted by 84 stations in the last 12 hours. Es?

Peaceful protesting - NOT amateur radio

The Palestine Action group has been banned in the UK as a terrorist organisation.  Certainly most people will agree that what happened in Israel on October 7th 2023 was horrific.

Police have been arresting people, many who are old, who have been protesting peacefully against what they see as genocide in Gaza.

In my view this is the state being utterly stupid: everyone has a right to peaceful protest as long as inciting violence is not the aim.

Many of the protesters are elderly and just want justice and fairness.

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20rvdexj8jo .